Information-display mechanism



May 6, 19.30.l I l E. EICHENBERGER 1,757,360

INFORMATION DISPLAY MECHANISM FiledFeb. 15, 192s 2 sheets-shew 1 BY ,6 f

'JJ 77 7a l ATToRN May 6, 1930. E. EICHENBERGER INFORMATION DISPLAY MECHANISM Filed Feb. 13. 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 A TTORNE Y.

Patented May 6, 1930 PATENT OFFICE ERWIN EICHENBERGER, OF DTRIT, MICHIGAN INFORMATION-DISPLAY MECHANISM Application filed February 13, 1928. Serial No. 254,090.

My invention relates to a new and useful improvement in an information display mechanism Vadapted for use for displaying advertising announcements, etc. It is particularly adapted for use on public conveyances7 such as street cars, busses, trains and the like.4 lt is also adapted for use in such buildings as depots, etc., for the purposes of displaying information Which vvill advise travelers as to the time of departure of trains, etc.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a mechanism of this class having a traveling fiexible display member Which may be utilized to display matter on both sides.

lt is another obj ect of the invention to provide a mechanism for effecting the traveling of the flexible display member so that both sides thereof will be alternately exposed to the exterior to display the advertising or Written matter appearing thereon.

It is another object of the present invention to provide in a display mechanism of this class, a mechanism for operating the same so as to move the flexible member a predetermined amount at each operation.

It is another object of the invention to provide a mechanism which will effect a movement of the device bodily.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood from a reference to the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification and in which,

F ig. l tion.

19 Fig. 2 is a central vertical sectional view ofthe invention.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2. A

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a fragment-ary side elevational View of a part of the mechanism in the invention.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary ,taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 3. i

a perspective view of the invensectional view Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic View illustrating the wiring of the invention.

Fig. 3 is a front elevational view of a modified form with parts broken away.

9 is a sectional view taken on line 9-9 r.

of Fig. 8.

Fig. 1() is a sectional view taken on line 10-10 of Fig. 8.

Fig. 11 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the Wiring used in the modified form.

The invention comprises a housing formed from an upper section 15 which is secured to a suitable support 16 such as the roof of the vehicle Aby means of bolts 17. A cable 18 projects into a plug socket 19 Which cooperates with the plug socket section 20 leading from which is the cable 21, a swivel, not shown, being interposed in the cable. Projecting inwardly from the upper section 15 is a flange 22 to afford a restand guide for a thrust bearing comprising the rings 24 and 25. A ange 26 is formed on the conical member 27. Fixedly mounted on this member 27 at its lower end is a gear .23, the cable 21 being projected through the hub of the gear 28. The flange 26 is secured to the casing section 15 as shown in Fig. 2. The gear 23 meshes with a gear 29 `fixedly mounted on the shaft 30 and rotated by the Worm Wheel 31 which meshes With the Worm 32 which is 1` rotate the gear 38 Which is secured thereto and projects from one face thereof. This gear 3S mesheswith the gear 39 Which carries on its face a gear 40 meshing With a gear 41 fixedly mounted upon the shaft 42 which is journaled in suitable bearings 43 and 44. A beveled gear 45 is ixedly mounted 0n the shaft 42 at one side of the medial line and a beveled gear 46 is iXedly-mounted on the shaft 42 at the opposite side of the medial per i ment of the disc 35.

is embraced by a spring 70 and connected at lino. rl`his shaft 42 is axially movable and as shown in Fig. 3, the gear is sufficiently wide to permit the axial movement of the gear 42 sutliciently to bring the gear 46 into mesh with the gear 49, and the gear 45 out of mesh with the gear 47, while at the same time, the gear 41 remains in mesh with the gear 40.

The gear 47 is mounted on a spool 48 and the gear 49 is mounted on a spool 50 so that when the gear 47 rotates, the spool 48 will rotate, and, when the gear 49 rotates, the spool 50 will rotate. A flexible member is adapted for winding on the spools 48 and 50 this exible member passing around idlers or rollers 61 which are mounted on the inner casing 62. Projecting upwardly from this inner casing are arcuate bearing members 63 and 64. The roller section of the housing comprises a base 65 and a transparent wall 67, this roller section being fastened to the upper section by the clasp 66 and hingedly connected as at 66 so that it may be swung to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1.

A magnetic coil 68 is used to eliect the move- The core 69 of the coil one end to a pivotally mounted yoke 71. An arm 73 is fixedly mounted onrthe downwardly turned end 74 of the rod 69 and provided at opposite ends with rollers 75 and 75. When the fiexible member 60 is used for displaying stations or stops oi a public vehicle, the flexible member will be provided with a plurality of slots 72 at pre-determined Vintervals depending upon the route which the vehicle is travelling. Viros 76 and 77 serve to connect the magnetic coil 68 to a source of electrical energy, the wire 77 passing through a switch 77 which may be normally retained in open position and closed when the conductor of the vehicle signals the start-ing of the vehicle. V`Wires 79 and 80 project from the cable 21 and connect to the motor 34 to supply it with the proper elec'rical energy, the wire 79 passing through a switch 81 which is normally closed.

In operation the motor 34 is continuously driven since the switch 81 is normally closed. This will effect a continuous rotation of the 29 which will cause the mechanism em- 1 bodying the, casing 62 and the spools and rotating mechanismto revolve about the gear 28 as a center so that the flexible member 60, vhi'ch is exposed through vthe transliarent wall 67 maybe visible from different points. lt will be noted'that this flexible member 60 exterior and when passing around the member 63, they other side is exposed to the exterior cev clearly appears froniFig. 4. The direction of rot'ation'of the spools will depend v upon whether the gears 45 and 47 are in mesh 1o'r whether the `gears 46 and 49 are in mesh -M which may be regulated by axial movement the shaft 42.Y` Then it is desired to rotate thc spool so as to expose a dierent section of the flexible member 60, the conductor or operator would close the switch 77, thus energizing the coil 76 so as to move the core or rod 69 axially against the tension of the spring and thus rock the yoke 7l to move the disc 35 into :trictional engagement with the disc 36. T his would set the spools into rotation and the roller would be in engagement with the flexible member 60 which would be drawn taut. 'Upon the closing of the switch 7 7, which may be of a spring-held type, the magnet 68 would be cle-energized but the engagement of the roller 75 with the tautflexible member 60 would hold the rod or core 69 against the tension of the spring embracing it, in the position to which it was moved b v the magnetic coil 68. Thus the discs 35 and 36 would remain in frictional engagement and a rotation of the spools would continue 4until a succeeding slot 72, which would be in alignment with the roller 7 5, and come into registration with the roller 75 upon which the rollers, engaging the slot, would permit the spring 70 to move the rod or core 69 in the opposite direction so as to disengage the disc 35 from the disc 36. By closing the switch'77, the operator may control the rotation of the spools and thus determine the matter to be displayed by the iiexible member so that when the device is used for indicating stations or stops, the time of departure of trains, etc. the proper display may be had at all times.

In the modified form shown in Figs. 8 to 11, I have provided a casing 82 having slots 83 and 84 formed therein, each provided with a transparent closure 85 and 86 respectively. Spools 87 and 88 are mounted in this casing, and, wound upon these spools is a V98 and adapted to mesh with the beveled gears and 94 respectively in the manner already described for the beveled gears 45 and 46. A motor 96 carries on its shaft a gear 97 meshing with a gear 98 which is fixedly mounted upon the shaft 93. Formed in the edge of the flexible strip 89 at spaced intervals, are notches 99 in which is adapted to en'gage'the roller 101 carried by the rockably mounted arm 102. A magnet 103 is connected by the wires 104 and 105 to a suitable source of electrical energy, a switch 106 being interposed in the wire 105. When the magnet 103 is energized, the arm 102 will be rocked to bring the metallic contact 106,

'contacts 107 and 108 which are interposed in the Wire 109 which leads to the motor96.

This motor 96 is also connected by the Wire 111 to a suitable source of electrical energy. The operation issuch that vvhen the switch 106 is closed, the arm 102 will be rocked so as to close the circuit to the motor 96 and thus set the spools into rotation so that the flexible member 89 is brought to a position Where the roller 101 is not in registration with any notch 99. lVhen the roller 101 is riding on the edge of the flexible member 89, the contact 106 Will be in engagement with the contacts 107 and 108, thus maintaining the circuit to the motor 96 closed until a succeeding notch is moved into registration with the roller 101, in which event, the roller Will engage in the notch, the circuit to the motor will be opened, and the winding on the spool will cease.

In this manner, I have provided a simple and effective means for displaying advertising matter and other information and have accomplished the results herein mentioned.

lVliile I-have illustrated and described the preferred form of my invention, I do not Wish to limit myself to the precise details of structure shown but desire to avail myself of such variations and modifications as come Within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A. display mechanism of the class described comprising: a housing; a flexible display member in said housing, a portion of the same being Visible at the same time from opposite sides of said housing; and means for effecting the traveling of said flexible member in said housing to display one side of said flexible member through one side of said housing and the other side of said flexible member through the other side of said housing: and means for effecting a rotation of said housing.

2. A display mechanism of the class described comprising: a housing; a flexible display member in said housing, a portion of the same being visible at the same time from opposite sides of said housing: and means for effecting the traveling of said flexible member in said housing to display one side of said flexible member through one side of said housing and the other side of said flexible member through the other side of said housing; and means for effecting a rotation of said housing simultaneously with the traveling of said flexible member.

3. A display mechanism of the class described comprising: a housing having a portion of the side Walls transparent; a supporting member rotatably mounted in said housing; winding means carried by said supporting member; a flexible display member Wound on said Winding means; guide members on said supporting member for guiding said flexible member While being Wound; en-

gagement members on said supporting niember for engaging said flexible member, the arrangement of said Winding means, said guide means and said engagement members being such that at one side of said supporting member from the exterior thereof, one side of said display member is visible and from the opposite side thereof the other side of said display member is visible.

4. A display mechanism of the class described comprising: a housing having a portion of the side Walls transparent; a supporting member rotatably mounted in said bousing; winding means carried by said supporting member, a flexible display member Wound on said Winding means; guide members on said supporting member for guiding said flexible member While being Wound; engagement members on said supporting member for engaging said flexible member, the arrangement of said Winding means, said guide means and said engagement members being such that at one side of said supporting member from the exterior thereof, one side of said display member is visible and from the opposite side thereof, the other side of said display member is visible; and means for rotating said supporting member in said housing.

In testimony whereof I sign this specification.

ERWIN EICHENBERGER. 

